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Local elections

On 29 October, 2023, Bulgarians are voting for local authorities – mayors and municipal councilors. A little over 6 million 48,000 people have the right to vote. In this section you will find information, commentaries and analyses about the local elections in Bulgaria. 

Urban planning is a policy combining social logic and equity

They say people should keep their doors tightly shut during local election campaigns. The streets are teeming with energetic renovations and before you know it, someone could be asphalting your hallway or paving your garden. Banter aside,..

published on 10/12/23 2:44 PM
Vasil Terziev

PP-DB candidate for mayor of Sofia has 10% lead over his opponent from GERB, poll shows

Less than a month before the local elections, Vasil Terziev, nominated for mayor of Sofia by "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria", has the lead with 33.8% of approval, while the GERB-SDS candidate Anton Hekimyan is second..

published on 10/5/23 2:58 PM
Korneliya Ninova

BSP leader Kornelia Ninova congratulates "long-time friend" Robert Fico on winning elections in Slovakia

"My long-time friend and supporter Fico won the elections in Slovakia. I congratulate you, Robert," wrote on Facebook the leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Korneliya Ninova. "No to the war in Ukraine. No to gender ideology and the Istanbul..

published on 10/1/23 12:15 PM

Voter turnout in local elections

At 3pm, turnout in Sofia was 22.4 per cent. In Plovdiv, the turnout was 20.2 per cent, in Varna 26.2 per cent, in Blagoevgrad 40.2 per cent and in Kardzhali 29.8 per cent. These are the results of an exit poll conducted by Gallup..

published on 9/29/23 4:05 PM

Discussions in the parliament on Budget 2024 postponed ahead of October 29 local elections

The leader of GERB party, Boyko Borissov, stated that the best final result of the local elections would be if all three parties entering the government have the most municipal councilors and mayors . "This will reaffirm the government," Borissov said..

published on 9/29/23 12:01 PM

Party fights, denigration and profanity invariably accompany the ‎Bulgarian local elections

Bulgaria is on the threshold of yet another round of elections for mayors and ‎municipal councilors, who form the local government in the various regions of ‎the country. As the main political institution of citizens in a democratic society, ‎local..

published on 9/29/23 6:15 AM

Bulgaria’s National Assembly to go into a one-month recess because of the local elections

The National Assembly will go into a one-month recess. The last plenary sittings will be held on October 5 and 6. The MPs will return to Parliament on November 8, after the second round of the local elections (the local elections will be held on..

published on 9/28/23 5:35 PM

People outside Sofia have a clearer idea whom they will vote for in the local elections

Almost a month before the local elections, 54% of the surveyed residents of Sofia do not have a favourite candidate for mayor of Sofia. 43% have already decided who they will vote for in the largest Bulgarian city. In the country, according to a..

published on 9/27/23 9:24 AM
Kamelia Neikova

Voting in the local elections will use old voting machines

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has repeatedly proposed to develop new software for the machine voting so that there is no foreign involvement, but has not received a response from any institution. This was announced by CEC chairperson Kamelia..

published on 9/25/23 6:17 PM
Delyan Peevski

MRF will not have a candidate for the mayoral race in the capital

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) will not nominate a candidate for mayor of Sofia, nor will it support other parties' candidates - even in the run-off, MRF MP Delyan Peevski said.  On the occasion of GERB's announcement that their..

published on 9/25/23 3:09 PM